Valves

ABSTRACT

A valve particularly adapted to be used in the bottom of a tank and particularly desirable for use in connection with food products because of the ease with which it may be disassembled and cleaned can be constructed utilizing a two part cylindrical housing having an inlet opening in one end of the housing. A movable poppet is located within the housing in such a manner that a handle attached to the poppet body and extending out through a diagonal slot in the housing may be moved in the slot so as to move a poppet head serving as a valve closure with respect to this inlet opening. Seals are carried by the poppet body so as to engage the interior of the housing in order to prevent leakage out around the handle.

United States Patent Stehlin [4 1 Aug. 15, 1972 1 VALVES 1,722,723 7/1929 Walker ..85/5 B 72 I t A. 2,195,492 McDonald 1 m stem" 54 Grace 2,583,786 1/1952 Marzucco ..85/5 B Walk, Pasadena, Calif. 91105 22 Filed: Nov. 27, 1970 21 App1.No.: 93,353

[52] US. Cl ..251/252, 251/367, 285/DIG.-14, 285/330, 85/5 B, 137/550 [51] Int. Cl ..Fl6k 31/528 [58] Field of Search ..l37/550; 251/215, 251, 252, 251/256, 367; 285/D1G. 14, 330; 85/5 B;

Primary Examiner-l-1enry T. Klinksiek Attorney-Edward D. OBrian ABSTRACT A valve particularly adapted to be used in the bottom of a tank and particularly desirable for use in connection with food products because of the ease with which it may be disassembled and cleaned can be constructed utilizing a two part cylindrical housing having an inlet opening in one end of the housing. A movable poppet is located within the housing in such a manner that a handle attached to the poppet body and extending out through a diagonal slot in the housing may be moved in the slot so as to move a poppet head serving as a valve closure with respect to this inlet opening. Seals are carried by the poppet body so as to engage the interior of the housing in order to prevent leakage out around the handle.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUG 15 I972 .Ffta. 6.

m L mm wz v WA E m 0 w T ATTORNEY VALVES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Valves of various types have been used since virtually the advent of plumbing. The number of different types of valves used for different applications is extremely large. In spite of this there is a very definite need for new and improved valves in certain specialized fields.

One field where this need is manifested is in the food and dairy field. In this field it is frequently necessary to install a valve at the bottom of a tank so that the contents of the tank may be easily drained. The valve used for such an application must, of course, be capable of exercising or performing the established function of a valve with as little difficulty as possible. Other factors are, however, highly important to this field.

In the food and dairy field cleanliness is extremely important. Prior valves used in this field have tended to be somewhat difficult and complex to take apart for cleaning purposes. Frequently they have also been relatively difficult to clean once disassembled. With present labor costs it is considered imperative that any acceptible valve in the food and dairy field be constructed so that it can be disassembled in a minimum of time with a minimum of difficulty and so that it can be easily cleaned in a very short period.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An objective of the present invention is to provide new and improved valves. The invention more specifically is directed to providing new and improved valves which are primarily intended to be used in the food and dairy field, but which are also capable of being used for other applications. A further objective of the present invention is to provide valves as herein described which can be incorporated directly into the bottoms of tanks.

Other objectives of the invention are to provide valves for purposes as herein indicated which may be easily and conveniently constructed at a comparatively nominal cost, which may be easily and conveniently disassembled and assembled by even comparatively unskilled labor in compratively short time intervals, and which when disassembled may be easily and conveniently cleaned with a minimum of difficulty.

In accordance with this invention these objectives are achieved by providing valves constructed so as to include a cylindrical housing body having an end wall with a centrally located inlet opening. The housing body in such a valve has adiagonally extending slot which is traversed by an outwardly extending handle extending from a movable poppet within the housing. Such a poppet has a cylindrical poppet body carrying a closure head for the inlet opening. By moving the bandle relative to the housing the poppet is both rotated and moved longitudinally of the housing so as to move the closure head relative to the inlet opening so as to achieve a valving function. Seals are provided has hereinafter indicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The details of the construction of valves in accordance with this invention are best more fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a valve constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating how the outlet shown in FIG. 1 may be replaced with a different outlet extending at an angle to the body of the valve;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view corresponding to FIG. I of a modified valve constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the valve shown in FIG. 6, this view corresponding to FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a modified clamping member which may be used with valves as shown in the preceeding figures.

The accompanying drawings are primarily intended to be used for explanatory purposes in connection with this invention. Because of this they are not to be taken as showing precise valves in accordance with this invention drawn to scale. It will be realized from a careful consideration of these drawings and of the remainder of this specification that the features or principles of this invention as defined by the appended claims can be embodied within other somewhat differently appearing valves through the use or exercise of routine engineering skill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings there is shown a valve 10 of the present invention which is primarily intended to be mounted vertically instead of horizontally as shown in the drawings. This valve 10 can, however, be utilized horizontally if desired. It includes a valve housing 12 formed so as to include an inlet part 14 and an outlet part 16 which fit together along a line or juncture l8. Adjacent to this juncture l8 fingers 20 extend from both of the parts 14 and 16. in such a manner as to interfit or overlie one another so as to stablize or position the parts 14 and 16 as shown.

It will be noted that there are three sets of these fingers 20 in the valve 10, two of the sets being located on diametrically opposite sides of the housing 12 and the third set located midway between these two sets on one side of the housing 12. These fingers 20 are formed so that grooves 22 in each of these fingers 20 are in the same plane. This allows a more or less inverted U- shaped clip 24 to be used to hold the parts 14 and 16 together. This clip 24 in accomplishing this function fits within the grooves 22. Preferably, but not necessarily this clip 24 is a spring clip so as to resiliently engage the grooves 22. It will be realized that the housing 12 may be easily assembled or disassembled through the use of this clip 24.

When the housing 12 is assembled as shown the parts 14 and 16 together define an internally cylindrical housing body 26 having attached end walls 28 and 30. The end wall 28 preferably extends in a flange-like manner from the housing body 26 as shown so that it may conveniently be attached to the bottom of a tank as a part of the wall of such a tank. However, if desired other known attaching means or mounting means may be used with the valve 10. v

This same wall 28 preferably includes a round inlet opening 32 located so that its center is axially aligned with the axis of the housing body 26. It will be noted that the inlet opening 32 in the embodiment of the valve shown has the shape of a cylinder. If desired other known beveled or related shapes may be used in the valve for the opening 32, although the particular shape illustrated is considered preferable in providing for adequate closure of the valve 10, even when parts are not formed as precisely desired. The end wall opposite the wall 28 preferably carries a tabular extension 34 serving as an outlet opening. This extension 34 may be provided with external threads 36 to be used in attaching this outlet of the valve 10 to an appropriate line.

Within the interior of the housing body 26 there is located a poppet 38. This poppet 38 is formed so as to include a generally cylindrical poppet body 40 which carries a series of connecting or support arms 42 serving as a connecting structure to support a closure head 44. This closure head 44 has a cylindrical exterior 46 capable of fitting within the inlet opening 32. A small groove 48 is formed in the exterior 46 for the purpose of holding a conventional elastomeric O-ring 50 so that this O-ring 50 will fit against and form a seal with the interior of the opening 32 when the poppet 38 is in a closed position as shown in FIG. 3.

The poppet 38 is adapted to be moved to an open position in which it is at the right of the position shown in FIG. 3 and in which the closure head 44 is spaced from the opening 32 through the use of a small handle 52. This handle 52 includes a short shaft 54 which projects through a slot 56 in the housing body 26 as shown. This shaft 54 is preferably screwed into a small insert 58 in the poppet 38 so that it can be conveniently removed in disassembling the valve 10. It will be noted that the slot 56 extends diagonally around a part of the outside of the inlet part 14 so that one end of this slot 56 is closer to the inlet opening 32 than the other end of the slot. With the slot 56 having this configuration whenever the handle 52 is turned the poppet 38 is both rotated and moved longitudinally or axially of the housing body 26.

In order to prevent leakage out through the slot 56 the periphery of the poppet body 40 is provided with two circumferential grooves 60, each of which carries a small elastomeric O-ring 62. These O-rings extends from the poppet body 40 so as to always make contact with and form seals with the interior of the housing body 26. With the structure shown although the location of such seals will vary depending upon the position of the poppet 38 within the valve 10 such seals will always be in parallel planes located on opposite sides of the slot 56.

In the valve 10 it is preferred to include within the inlet part 14 a small notch 64 in effect forming a dogleg type extension of the slot 56. This notch 64 leads to the juncture 18 so as to permit the poppet 38 to be removed from the inlet part 14 when the outlet part 16 has been removed from the remainder of the valve 10 during disassembly. This expedient avoids the necessity of having to remove the handle 52 from the poppet 38 in disassembling the valve 10 and of course eliminates alignment problems in reassembling the handle 52 on the poppet 38 during reassembly of the valve 10. This notch 64 is also sealed off by the O-rings 62 at all times during the operation of the valve 10.

For many applications it is necessary or desirable to incorporate within the valve 10 a strainer structure. In this valve 10 such a structure comprises a removable cage 66 consisting of two circumferential bands 68 carrying filter screens 70 and longitudinal supports 74. The ends 76 of these supports 74 are preferably bent slightly so as to resiliently engage the interior of the poppet body 44 in such a manner that the cage 66 is adequately supported against displacement during use. With this method of construction the described strainer structure can be easily removed for cleaning purposes.

It will be noted that in the valve 10 the extension 34 is directed in the same direction as the housing body 26 so as to provide for essentially straight through flow within the valve 10. The outlet part 16 can be modified so as to accommodate flow into connected piping located at an angle to the body part by simply forming the extension 34 so that it projects at an angle to the axis of the housing body 26. This type of structure is indicated in FIG. 5. Since the parts shown in FIG. 5 are identical with the parts described in the preceeding in the interest of convenience and brevity they are shown in the drawings by the identical numerals previously employed in this specification and utilized in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings there is shown a modified valve 100 of the present invention which is essentially extremely similar to the valve 10 previously described. Also for convenience of explanation and illustration and in the interest of brevity various parts of the valve 100 which are identical to or substantially identical to various parts of the valve 10 are not separately described herein and are indicated in this specification where necessary for explanatory purposes and in the drawings by the numerals previously used to indicate such parts preceeded by the numeral l In the valve 100 the insert 58 used in connection with the poppet 38 in the valve 10 is replaced by a tube 80 which extends completely across the interior of the poppet 138. This poppet 138 is of course sealed at both of its ends around its exterior to the poppet body 140. Within the interior of the tube 80 there may be provided end and center circumferential detent grooves 82 which are adapted to receive a conventional spring loaded positioning detent 84 on the shaft 154 of the handle 152.

With this structure the shaft 154 is longer than the previously described shaft 54. It can merely be inserted through the slot 156 into the tube 80 in assembling the valve 100. When it is inserted fully as shown in FIG. 7 it extends across the diameter of the poppet 138 so as to tend to equalize forces on opposite sides of the poppet 138 as the valve is opened and closed. This is considered desirable in preventing any tendency towards poppet distortion during the operation of the valve 100. If for any unexplained reason significant leverage is required in order to operate the valve 100 the handle 152 may be pulled out so that the detent 84 is located in the center most of the detent grooves 82 instead of being located in one of the end most of these grooves 82 as normal.

With the valve 100 the precise detent 84 structure may be replaced by other equivalent means such as are commonly used for securing a shaft in position. Thus, for example, it is possible to utilize as the handle 152 and shaft 154 a commercial type of structure in which when an exposed button on the handle 152 is pushed the detent 84 will be automatically released. If desired a common rod may be used to actuate the valve 100 by being inserted within the tube 80. With the valve 100 the notch 64 is not considered necessary or desirable.

It will be realized that many modifications may be made in the valve and 100 as described. Thus, for example, it is possible to utilize instead of the clip 24 a modified clip 90 as shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings having a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration which straddles fingers 92 corresponding to the fingers 20 previously described extending from body parts 94 and 96 corresponding to the parts 14 and 16. Changes of this type involving routine engineering are to be expected in valves utilizing the novel features employed in the valves 10 and 100 herein described.

I claim:

1. A valve which comprises:

a two-part valve housing having a cylindrical housing body and end walls attached to said housing body at both of its ends, said housing having an inlet part and an outlet part, said parts fitting together between said ends, said housing including holding means for holding said inlet and said outlet parts together,

a round inlet opening in one of said end walls, said inlet opening being centered about the axis of said body,

an outlet opening in the other of said end walls;

a slot located in said housing body so as to extend around a part of said housing body in a diagonal path such that one extremity of said slot is located closer to said inlet opening than the other extremity of said slot,

a poppet having a cylindrical poppet body, a closure head and a perforate connecting structure connecting said closure head and said poppet body, said closure head being of smaller dimension than said poppet body and being symmetrical about the axis of said poppet body,

said poppet being movably located within saidhousing body so that the exterior of said poppet body is adjacent to the interior of said housing body and so that said closure head is located on the end of said poppet body closest adjacent to said inlet opening, said poppet being capable of being moved between the end walls of said housing,

said closure head being capable of fitting against said end wall having said inlet opening during movement of said poppet body within said housing body so as to close and seal said inlet opening,

a handle carried by said poppet body and extending outwardly of said housing body through said slot, said poppet being capable of being moved so as to open and close said inlet opening by moving said handle within said slot, and

two separate body seal means, each of said seal means forming a seal between the interior of said housing body and the exterior of said poppet body.

said seal means being located on opposite sidesof said slot and extending completely around the interior of said housing body and the exterior of said poppet body so as to seal off said slot from the in terior of said housing body at all times during the operation of said valve.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said poppet includes a tube extending across its interior, said tube being located between said body seal means and said handle includes a shaft capable of being inserted through said slot into saidtube. 

1. A valve which comprises: a two-part valve housing having a cylindrical housing body and end walls attached to said housing body at both of its ends, said housing having an inlet part and an outlet part, said parts fitting together between said ends, said housing including holding means for holding said iNlet and said outlet parts together, a round inlet opening in one of said end walls, said inlet opening being centered about the axis of said body, an outlet opening in the other of said end walls, a slot located in said housing body so as to extend around a part of said housing body in a diagonal path such that one extremity of said slot is located closer to said inlet opening than the other extremity of said slot, a poppet having a cylindrical poppet body, a closure head and a perforate connecting structure connecting said closure head and said poppet body, said closure head being of smaller dimension than said poppet body and being symmetrical about the axis of said poppet body, said poppet being movably located within said housing body so that the exterior of said poppet body is adjacent to the interior of said housing body and so that said closure head is located on the end of said poppet body closest adjacent to said inlet opening, said poppet being capable of being moved between the end walls of said housing, said closure head being capable of fitting against said end wall having said inlet opening during movement of said poppet body within said housing body so as to close and seal said inlet opening, a handle carried by said poppet body and extending outwardly of said housing body through said slot, said poppet being capable of being moved so as to open and close said inlet opening by moving said handle within said slot, and two separate body seal means, each of said seal means forming a seal between the interior of said housing body and the exterior of said poppet body, said seal means being located on opposite sides of said slot and extending completely around the interior of said housing body and the exterior of said poppet body so as to seal off said slot from the interior of said housing body at all times during the operation of said valve.
 2. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said poppet includes a tube extending across its interior, said tube being located between said body seal means and said handle includes a shaft capable of being inserted through said slot into said tube. 